2016 JLLB LUNAFEST® Women in Entertainment Q & A Interview Series

In honor of our upcoming April 10th LUNAFEST event, a film festival highlighting women filmmakers, the Junior League of Long Beach (JLLB) has created the LUNAFEST Women in Entertainment Q & A Interview Series. It features interviews pairing JLLB members making a difference in the Long Beach community with women making a difference in the entertainment industry.

For our fourth interview, JLLB Community Vice President Ashleigh Ruhl will be interviewing Tasha Day, Long Beach Film Commissioner and Manager of the Long Beach Special Events & Filming Office.

Ashleigh is going into her fifth year in the league, spending the majority of her time focused on JLLB’s Kids in the Kitchen and other Community Impact programs; she is currently the Community Vice President on the Board of Directors and is looking forward to serving again next year as Executive Secretary. Ashleigh is a fifth-generation Colorado native who joined JLLB as a way to make friends in a new town.

Outside of the league, Ashleigh has worked for more than a decade as a professional journalist, writer and social media manager, with her work published by Gazette Newspapers (or the Grunion Gazette), The Press-Telegram, City News Service, Long Beach Business Journal, Rocky Mountain News, and various other mediums online and in print.

Serving for more than five years as the Editor of the Grunion Gazette, she got to know Long Beach very well, and is passionate about community journalism and educating residents about the issues impacting them in their own backyard.

In one of her stories relating to the topic of filming in the city, Ashleigh wrote: “Long Beach boasts a history on the big screen that includes films such as Anchorman, Anger Management,Iron Man, Lethal Weapon, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Transformers and many others that have temporarily turned parts of Long Beach into San Diego or even Shanghai.”

She has had the pleasure of interviewing Tasha Day before, for multiple articles about filming and special events in Long Beach, and Ashleigh was allowed special access to the filming of an episode of Dexter on one occasion. She has witnessed Day’s professionalism and the heavy workload carried by Day’s department, “which does great work to bring entertainment, notoriety and revenue to the city.” Ashleigh believes Day is a real mover and shaker in the city, and is delighted that the league is highlighting this extraordinary woman.

Ashleigh Ruhl (AR): What is your current job/title (along with top projects in your career) and what was your first job in the entertainment industry?

Tasha Day (TD): My current job title is Manager of the Long Beach Special Events & Filming Office. I have worked on several filming projects including NCIS: LA, Iron Man, Transformers, Scorpion, Rush Hour series, NCIS, The Fosters, Straight Outta Compton, Live by Night, Animal Kingdom, Lethal Weapon series, and many more. My first job in the industry was as a Clerk Typist for the Special Events and Filming Office while I was attending college.

AR: What does your typical day look like?

TD: No two days are alike. Each day is different and exciting. I am always working on new filmings and events throughout the city.

AR: What are three key aspects of your job and what are three qualities that are key to being successful in it?

TD: I would say the key aspects of my job are creating relationships, scouting new locations, and coordinating logistics. The three qualities that are key to being successful are patience, understanding, and flexibility.

AR: What is your favorite part of the job?

TD: Seeing the end product. Knowing that you have worked on something that has or will become successful.

AR: Who or what inspires you?

TD: My co-workers! Their constant support helps makes everyday a good day!

AR: What advice would you give to women who want to work in the industry or do what you do?

TD: I would say you need to have a strong personality. Set your goals and go after those goals. Don’t stop until you have achieved them!

When she’s not doing JLLB activities, Lynda is a PR, Sales & Fundraising Consultant who specializes in helping companies gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. https://www.jllb.org/?nd=February_2016